Strawberries & Cigarettes
by SethNightlord
Summary: Ichigo's life sucks and he knows it. In fact things only get worse when that obnoxious Red Head becomes his new co-worker. RenjiXIchigo


Strawberries and Cigarettes

By: Sethnightlord

I'm Ichigo Kurosaki and I hate my life.

And that's not just the teenage angst talking.

Ever since my mom died three years ago, my father has become a recluse and I've been left to take care of my younger sisters.

I have friends. I'm doing well in school. I'm just lonely—even when my friends surround me.

I work in a small cafe as the only waiter; there's another older woman who works as a waitress named Soifon but she doesn't really talk to me—she hangs out with Yoroichi, the head pastry chef. I work in a popular little café in Kadakura Town that is owned by a Ms. Rengiku. It's just me and those girls plus a really pink frilly apron that makes me want to kill someone. There are a couple of other girls working here but most of them are only around during the summer or during vacations since they go to college.

Why am I the only guy? It's supposed to be one of those cafes where you're served by girls in cute pink costumes but Ms. Rengiku asked me if I'd like a job after she talked with my sisters for a little while. I still don't know what they said and to be honest—it really worries me. I'd like to believe that my sisters are always looking out for what's best for me... but some times it's hard to remember that they're young motherless girls as lost as I am.

So I work with all these girls and deal with lots of other girls coming in and giggling and squealing over the cute dresses Soifon always wears. It's enough to make me want to stab nine-inch nails through my eyelids.

But the girls aren't the worst part. The worst part is The Red Head and His Friends. The Red Head likes to spend his days torturing me and I can't do anything about it since he's literally best friends with Ms. Rengiku and I'm a hundred percent sure she's oblivious to how utterly obnoxious he actually is.

Every Friday they come in for the Soup de Jour—Chicken Soup. It's supposed to be the best chicken soup in all of Japan, but I wouldn't know. I've never eaten it. I'm a vegetarian.

I checked my watch and sighed when I realized my doom was coming.

"Hey, Soifon!" I called to her when we were both going back into the kitchen to fill up empty glasses. "Please take them today," I begged her.

"Who?" She wrinkled her nose, "Oh! It's Friday isn't it? You know I can't do that—they'll just request you to be their waiter and won't order until you come. They always want to sit in your section each week for a reason you know." She flipped one of her long pigtails behind her shoulder and offered me a sad smile.

"Do you think I could go home sick?" I asked, faking a cough.

"You know that Ms. Regiku will hunt you down..." Soifon said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." I rubbed the earring in my ear—a nervous habit—and chewed my lip, trying to think of a way to get out of this. I refilled two glasses with soda and took out another cup of coffee. Then I walked out the swinging door to the bar where I could make a new soy caramel latte.

"Hope you make it!" She called up to me and I shot her the finger as the door swung shut.

I had just delivered the finished latte to a girl with five different colors in her hair when I heard the bell ring as the front door opened. The old fashioned bell had a light-hearted jingle that today was associated with hell. I looked at the doorway and almost dropped my cup. I turned my back to them and let Soifon greet them and seat them—of course, in my section. I put off serving them for as long as I could without seeming like I was avoiding them. After ten minutes I realized that I had to go over to them or I would get an angry Ms. Rengiku on my ass.

I trudged over to them and pulled out a pad and a pen. "Can I get you anything to drink?" I asked in a monotonous voice without looking up from my paper.

"A latte."

"I'd like a cup of green tea, please!"

"Saki."

"Make that two sakis."

"I'll have the usual, Strawberry." The Red Head said.

"And what would that be, Sir?" Sarcasm dripping from my voice

"Tea, with you in it." He said.

Shocked, I looked up at him. This was not what he usually ordered; he usually had a glass of soda. A guy like him was too simple to enjoy the finer things in life like tea.

"I take it you mean strawberry, sir?" I asked through gritted teeth, my cheeks flaming. The guy with the shaved head snickered and whispered something to his friend with the black bob. The white-haired kid was texting and the girl with the black hair was watching Renji with amusement in her eyes. To her left was a guy who looked just like her in male form—he always just had a glass of water. In fact, he rarely talked; he was my favorite for that reason.

"Sure, Shortcake!" He said and as I turned around to walk away, he smacked me on the ass. I squared my shoulders and walked off like nothing happened. He likes getting a reaction out of me so I've learned to ignore the obnoxious red head.

I came back with the drinks quickly because my other tables weren't in need of my attention. I placed the drinks in their respective spots, standing in between the girl and her brother for safety. Tucking my tray under my elbow, I pulled out the pad and pencil again. "What'll you have?" I asked with a sigh.

"Just a scone."

"Apple pie!"

"Chicken soup."

"I think I'll have a blueberry muffin."

"And you?" I asked jerking my head over towards Red.

"Chicken Soup."

"What a surprise," I grumbled and walked around the table to avoid Red's groping fingers.

I attended to a few other tables, refilling drinks and cleaning plates until Yoroichi placed the tray on the bar for me to take over to Red's table.

I picked it up and weaved my way carefully over to the table, balancing the dishes on my tray. When I got to their table, I placed the food down in front of its respective owner and took a step back. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Hey Ichigo!" Damn these nametags to hell.

"Yes, Sir..."

"What do you think of Rengiku's Chicken Soup?" Red asked with a leer in his eyes.

"I've never had it." I replied, moving to leave.

"Wait!" He grabbed my wrist. "You should try it."

"It's really good!" The girl said.

"The best in all of Japan!" The bald guy agreed. The others nodded silently.

I tried to shake Red off my arm, "Look, buddy I-" I choked off my words as he pulled hard on my arm and I ended up in his lap, sputtering indignantly. "What the fu-!" He shoved a spoonful of soup in my mouth and it almost went down my windpipe.

I spat it out and yelled I was so angry. Every one else started laughing and I tried to get up off Red's lap. But he had wrapped his arms around my stomach and he was a lot stronger than he looked. So as I struggled fruitlessly. Ms. Rengiku must have heard the commotion and come to investigate.

"Ichigo! Get off Renji's lap! You know you're not allowed to hit on the customers!" She yelled, her hands on her hips and her chest thrust forward, making her breast seem even bigger. The rest of the cafe was quiet and all eyes were on our table. Soifon was peeking around a fat man in a three-piece suit and Yoroichi had poked her head through the swinging kitchen door.

"Ms. Rengiku! He tried to feed me chicken soup and sat me on his lap!" I yelled, still trying to pry his fingers off me.

She raised an eyebrow at me, "Is that's what's all over him?"

"What?" I turned to try and look at him and he loosened his grip enough for me to twist around. There was a piece of chicken stuck in the collar of his t-shirt and there were noodles and bits of celery in his hair and rice stuck to his face. Not to mention that the front of his shirt had a big wet spot on it.

"You spit your soup out at me, Strawberry!" He whined, trying to sound disappointed and angry in me.

"Well, you deserved it! I'm a vegetarian, you idiot!" I yelled at him.

"Oh..." It was his turn to flush red.

"Renji let go of my waiter and Ichigo—apologize to Renji." She said with a flip of her hand.

"I'm sorry." I spit out and his hands fell limp around my waist. I was able to stand up again.

Ms. Rengiku leaned forward, "Oh no! Renji, do you want a clean shirt? I'll get you a clean shirt..."

"Do you have one in my size?" He asked.

"I don't but he does." She nodded in my direction and I died a little inside. I couldn't even look at Red's face. By now the rest of the cafe had gone back to their food since it didn't look like there was going to be a fight. The mood was much more subdued now. "You'll go and get it for him won't you, Ichi?" She asked, batting her eyes at me.

I mumbled something and stalked over to the kitchen door so I could go to my locker. I slammed the door open and Yoroichi was lounging back, filing her nails. Apparently she wasn't nearly as busy as chefs are supposed to be. She gave me a knowing look as she sized up my appearance. She cocked an eyebrow at me and imparted me with her wisdom. "You shouldn't let him get to you, Kid." She said, looking back down at her nails.

I shot her the finger, but she wasn't looking—it still felt good though. I walked through the kitchen and up the stairs to the second level where Ms. Rengiku's office was along with and the employee locker rooms. I trudged up the stairs like my legs weighed a thousand pounds and slammed a couple of doors behind me, just to let off steam.

I fiddled with the dial on my locker and jimmied the lock in just the right way for the stubborn thing to give. It opened with a grating screech of metal and I repeated my mantra mentally in my head. I hate my life. I hate my life. I hate my life.

I pushed past my winter jacket and grabbed a t-shirt I'd left in there for those just-in-case moments. It was a red shirt that was just the perfect length on me but would probably be too small on the Red Headed menace. I examined the shirt closely and picked a piece of lint off it. It was an old cross-country shirt.

I turned to go back downstairs and ran into something with enough force to end up on my ass in a state a shock. "What the fuck?" I mumbled.

"You know, Strawberry, if you wanted to press yourself up against my chest, you could've just said something..." He trailed off and grinned wolfishly down at me, his emerald green eyes glittering with mischief and happiness. The devil-reincarnate, I presume.

I threw the shirt at him and got up, brushing dust off my butt and fixing my collar. I stomped past him but he sidestepped in front of me, blocking the door.

"What's the matter Ichigo; how come you won't talk to me?" He asked. "I promise I don't bite... OK, yes I do." He laughed at his own joke and I scowled. Red-haired idiot.

"I don't talk to you because Ms. Rengiku doesn't pay me enough to mingle with jackasses." I said.

"Oh, you cut me with your cruelty, Fair Ichigo." He pressed a hand over his chest and I realized how big his hands were. I took a step back. He towered over me—easily over six feet. He took a step towards me and I took one back. "This shirt is starting to make me stink like chicken." He complained and to my surprise he removed his shirt in one swift movement. The tattoos on his face were repeated across his chest and… his well-toned abs…

I took a step back and he advanced, I felt like I was being stifled in the small room, my back hit the wall and I was a rat, cornered. Seeing that I was stuck, he closed the distance between us in two quick steps and trapped me where I stood by placing his arms on either side of my body. I pressed my back into the wall until my spine was pressed flush against it. I was about to pull a Chris Angel and disappear through a solid wall—I wish.

"You're never very nice to me Ichigo... you never laugh at my jokes or even talk to me without acting like it's painful to be in the same room with me." He said and he looked down at me with something glittering in his eyes that I definitely didn't like. I could feel my face start to flush from anger and I crossed my arms in front of my chest, pretending that the fact that he was so close to me wasn't making me really worried.

"Like I said, I'm not paid enough to be your entertainment." I told him.

"How much?"

"What?" I asked, even though it was more of a shout than a question.

"I wanna know how much it'll cost to get you to hang out with me," Red replied, he tried to put on an innocent face but it turned into a perverted leer. "I wanna know if you really taste like strawberries."

"Oh, get the fuck away from me!" I yelled and I sucker punched him in the stomach. "Put a fucking shirt on and finish your chicken soup so you can leave and I'll have peace until next Friday, you bastard." I pushed him away from me as he was doubled over his stomach and I walked back down to the cafe. I guess you couldn't really call it a walk since it was more like a Godzilla-stomping-on-Tokyo stride.

I pushed past the kitchen and was grateful that Yoroichi was too busy yelling at one of the other chefs about overcooking the croissants, to notice me. I walked past the bar where Ms. Rengiku gave me a stern warning look that plainly told me what she would do to my ass if I caused another crowd-stopping problem that required her attention. It wasn't even my fault, but I'm sure she didn't see it that way. My life sucks.

I went back to my job and sometime while my back was turned, the Red Haired Menace snuck back to his table. He was wearing my shirt. I went over to his table to ask if there was anything I could help with but they said they were done and asked for the bill. I returned with their bill a few seconds later and within five minutes they were gone and with no further hassle on my part. It was definitely strange.

Therefore, I was instantly suspicious.

But there was nothing, it wasn't a trick or a joke—they were gone. Left without any trouble. Shaking my head I went back to their table and picked up the money they left. There was a nice tip and a note left for me in female handwriting that said, "For all the trouble." It almost made me forget to hate her for laughing at me when I had the soup shoved down my throat. I crammed the money in my apron pocket and continued to clean the table. I picked up the bowl of chicken soup and something in it caught my attention. There were little pieces of alphabet-shaped pasta left at the bottom of the bowl and I caught my breath as I realized they spelled out a message.

"_I'm sorry, Ichigo." _

Confused, I shook my head and carried the bowl back into the kitchen. I wasn't quite sure what to think. It had to be Red. For such a crass and stupid guy, it was a really well delivered message. It was creative, something I didn't expect from that idiot.

My shift ended half an hour later and Ms. Rengiku let me go without saying anything else about her friends. I guess she realized how confused I was by the whole day in general and decided to cut me some slack.

I walked home that night with my head full of everything: Red, my sisters… even school.

A week later, Ms. Rengiku called an employee meeting during a lull in customers. I should have realized from the start that this "meeting" was suspicious to begin with.

"Team Rengiku assemble!" Ms. Rengiku declared as everyone clustered around her desk in her office. "I have some very important information to tell you all." At this point everyone started to look around, wondering if this was were she started firing people Survivor-style. "It has been decided by the powers that be, that Rengiku's Starlite Cafe will be merging and moving on to greater and greener pastures!"

"Um, what?" I asked, voicing everyone else's confusion.

Ms. Rengiku sighed, "Well, in order for us to get more customers, we need to be in a more central part of Kadakura Town and since, we're only a cafe... we're losing out on money since we shut down for dinner time. So I've been talking with an old family friend of mine, a Mr. Kiske; you might know him as the owner of The Straylight, one of the most prominent restaurants in town!" All of the other employees started talking excitedly, but I was too worried about the future of my job to even say anything, I probably looked pretty green in the face.

"What does that mean for us, Ms. Rengiku?" Soifon asked.

"Well, it'll mean some slight changes, but all of you will be keeping your jobs, you'll just be working at a different location and at a slightly different time. We'll be combining with the staff of The Straylight, but most of you won't be in The Straylight, since Kiske has expanded his restaurant and offered me the side balcony and garden to work out of! Everything is all ready for us! So starting today we'll be closed for business and we'll be packing up the cafe to ship everything out to The Straylight! Everything is already in order, so if you have any problems, speak up or forever hold your peace!"

"So everything will remain the same?" asked one of the longtime cooks, she was a nervous looking woman who always had a wooden spoon shoved into the front pocket of her apron.

"Well, aside from the things I just mentioned, your job is assured at the same pay rate and similar hours." Rengiku said with a nod of her head.

"If everything is the same, why move?" A barista asked.

"More space, better location, and more publicity!" Ms. Rengiku replied. "Well, if that's it for the questions, let's get started packing! We should be done by the end of the day!" She clapped her hands and all of us took that as a signal to get our asses moving.

Since I was the only guy, I'd already resolved myself to the heavy lifting and did indeed spend the rest of my shift lifting and moving tables and coffee makers. But I couldn't complain, it was a Friday and we were closed. That meant no Red Haired Freak to ruin my day.

I walked home that night, tired and with a sore back but my mind was clear and I slept easy that night.

The next day I reported to The Straylight for work. Ms. Rengiku and Mr. Kiske had moved most of the stuff out of the cafe last night and had dropped it off around the side of the building for us to take care of. When I got there Ms. Rengiku was standing on a table directing some guys in the placement of the rest of the tables.

"Ah, you must be Ichigo." A man appeared in front of me with a green summer yukata and a straw hat. It was almost impossible to see his eyes. "I'm Kiske," he shook hands with me, "I'm sorry you had to go from working at an all female cafe to slaving away here with guys. It'll be quite a change..."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused. "Working with the guys? Aren't I staying with the cafe?"

"What you did-"

"Oh, Ichigo! Hello over there! You see, I meant to tell you but oh! I was so busy and there was so much to do... I didn't want you to worry your pretty little head!" Ms. Rengiku popped into the conversation jumping off the table to slap her hand around Kiske's mouth to stop him from talking.

"Huh?"

"What I'm trying to say is that we're making it an all female cafe and an all male staff at The Straylight. It wasn't my idea... it was Kiske's but he thinks it's the perfect thing to bring in customers. And you see it really isn't a hassle for us since, you're the only guy working at the cafe... and a couple of the girls from the restaurant are going to take your place..." Rengiku offered me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Ichigo."

I ran a hand through my hair, "Look it's alright, I really don't mind."

"I'm glad your such a good sport, Ichigo, Ms Rengiku was worried you'd be upset." Kiske said, he smiled me in a lazy, laid back way and I smiled back but it was forced. "I'll introduce you to the rest of the team later, for now just help out with the moving." He waved to me off lazily and walked off with such a languid swagger that he almost looking drunk.

I stared after him, confused and lost.

Ms. Rengiku sighed, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Ichigo. It wasn't fair to you."

"Ms. Rengiku, don't worry about it—I'm grateful I still have a job and that you gave me one in the first place." I smiled at her, reassuringly.

She nodded. "Thanks for understanding, and I'd appreciate it if you'd help me move this table."

I stayed later than my usual shift helping Ms. Rengiku move into the garden/balcony area. It was a great location and I knew her business would take off. She'd even talked to me about being a maitre'd so that I could still work in her restaurant—some what. But we both knew it was an empty promise, I was a guy and her restaurant was to have an all female staff.

Around eleven at night, I took a break and pulled out my cell phone. I was sitting on the balcony railing on the second floor, listening to the crickets sing and the frogs reply. Otohime had texted me while I was working, wondering if I would help her on her biology test on Monday. I replied that'd I be at her house tomorrow to help her study. Otohime is a nice girl, but some things just go completely over her head. I had a text from Chad too and from a few other people—but none of them were important.

I set about reassuring Otohime that it really was no problem helping her study. My fingers worked the buttons expertly and while I was at it, I checked my e-mail.

"What's this? Texting on the job? I'm disappointed Ichigo..."

I gasped and threw my phone up in the air behind me. "Oh shit!" I leaned back and tried to grab it and managed to fall off the balcony railing.

"Woah!" I landed on something soft that groaned beneath me. "You know for someone who's so skinny, you sure weigh a lot."

And then I realized why my landing was so soft; I'd fallen on Red. I jumped off him quickly and starting searching for my phone. "Oh crap, my phone! I just got that... it was brand new." I moaned and got down on my hands and knees searching in the dark. "My life sucks, my life sucks." I repeated under by breath.

I looked over at Red and he was sitting Indian-style on the floor, hunched over something; I had probably punched him in the stomach or something when I landed on him. "Come on, get up and help me look!"

"Look for what?" He asked.

"Don't be dumb, my phone!"

"This phone?" He held up my phone in one hand, going through my inbox.

"Hey, jerk! That's my phone! What are you doing?" I jumped at him, trying to grab the phone. He held me away from him with one hand then he grabbed my ankle and pulled me down so that I was on his level.

"Give me my phone back!" I yelled, trying to reach across his body to grab the phone.

"So mean, Ichigo! I break your fall and save your phone and don't even get a thank you! So rude, is that how you were raised!?" He replied, still holding me off easily. He was too big for me to be able to reach my phone this way, but he wouldn't let go of me, he was crushing me to his chest with one arm and holding my phone away from me with the other.

"I would have been nice to you, if you hadn't taken my phone and made me drop it in the first place!"

"Could I help it if I scared you so much that you freaked out?"

"I wasn't scared!" I yelled at him, "You surprised me, that's all."

"Not scared 'eh? So maybe you jumped up for another reason... maybe you were so excited to see me, you tried to jump into my arms."

I stopped struggling for a minute, "Are you an idiot?" I asked him.

"No, are you sure you aren't scared?" He asked me; I looked up at him with anger on my face.

"I'm not scared," I ground out.

"You should be."

"And why is that, Red?"

He moved closer to me, leaning his head down to my face, his face so close to mine I tried to move back. He placed the phone down, far enough from me that I couldn't make a lunge for it, and used his-now-free hand to stop me from moving my head back.

"Are you scared yet, Ichigo?" He asked again.

I didn't reply I was struggling to get out of the grip he had me locked in, his arms were like vices and as I struggled, his grip only became tighter. "Let go you jerk, let go!" In my mind I started doing my mantra.

"No, I kinda like this." Red replied.

"Let go of me Red!"

"Fine, on one condition." He replied.

"And what is that?"

"Call me by my real name."

"Alright and what's your real name? Red? Annoying Idiot? Moron? Seriously—take your pick!" I replied in a sarcastic tone.

"It's Renji Abarai. Renji! Try it out, Small Fry."

"Please let go of me, Renji." I said. "This is so embarrassing." I muttered under my breath.

"Alright, beautiful. I'll let you go." He released me and pushed me away from him before getting up. He brushed off his pants before bending down. "Whoops! Almost forgot this!" And he picked up my phone and pocketed it.

"Hey, wait! That's my phone! Give it back, Red!" I yelled.

He sighed and wagged a finger in my face. "What did we decide earlier about what you're supposed to call me?"

"Fine, Renji—give me my fucking phone back!"

"On one condition."

"Oh what fucking now!" I moaned and dropped my head into my hands.

"I'll give it back for a kiss."

"A kiss." I deadpanned.

"On the lips." He replied.

"A kiss." I repeated.

"Should I ask for tongue?"

"Are you gay?!" I yelled at him.

"What of it? If there's anyone who's gay here, it's you." He poked me in the chest with a finger and I scowled at him.

"What does that fucking mean?"

"I don't know... it just seems a little strange that you're always blushing when you're near me... you find ways to get me out of my clothes, you'll take any excuse to brush up against me and for all the times you told me you hated me you never stopped being my waiter!" Renji replied, the volume of his voice rising with each word.

"Shut up." I ordered and I kissed him hard on the lips only for a few seconds but I probably lingered there for too long. I pulled away quickly and ripped my phone from his hand. He was so shocked, he didn't even resist. I quickly ran away before he could say anything else and headed out towards the street.

"Hey, Ichigo! You're leaving?" Ms. Rengiku called out.

"Yeah... I'm almost late for curfew." I have no curfew.

"Oh, alright! Thanks for staying so late to help! I'll make it worth your while once we start cooking in here!" She yelled at me because I'd already started off down the street.

What the hell had Renji been doing there anyway?

Wednesday night was my first official shift and they'd opened Rengiku's Cafe officially that morning, I had been in school and couldn't see the unveiling but Soifon, who's in college, texted me and told me about it.

The best thing about the cafe's move was that it was now closer to my house and required only a five-minute walk. I opened the side door and snuck in the back towards the employee locker room, I was supposed to report to my shift fifteen minutes early, so that another waiter could brief me on the house protocols and things like that. I cut through Kiske's kitchen and walked up the stairs to the tiny little space awarded to the restaurant's staff.

I looked along the short row of lockers and searched for my name on one of them. It was there at the end of the row, right next to a 'Renji Abarai'. I hate my life. I really do. Well, at least now I understand why the jerk was here last night. He must have been in the restaurant while I was setting up the cafe. Wonderful, just fucking great. How can I look this guy in the face? How can I work with him knowing that he bribed a kiss out of me last night?

I groaned and started biting my lip and pulling at the earring in my ear. I sighed after a few seconds and realized my best bet was to just ignore him and pretend he didn't exist. I opened my locker—probably more savagely than I had to—and starting stripping off my shirt so that I could put my button up long sleeve on. I placed the winter coat I had recently shed on the hook in the locker and threw my t-shirt in there too. I pulled my work shirt out of the gym bag I'd brought with me and started buttoning it up. Halfway through I realized that I'd forgotten to take out the extra shirt I always kept with me.

I put my extra shirt away but not before I rubbed it between my two fingers, wondering if I'd ever see my old cross-country shirt again. I sighed and tried to finish buttoning up my shirt.

I froze midway when the locker room door was savagely thrown open.

"Hey, new guy!' The bald guy who always hung out with Renji yelled at me. "Welcome to the crew!"

"What the fuck!" I yelled and I stared at shock as behind him in the doorway appeared, the bob guy, the short kid with the white hair and the silent black-haired guy.

Baldy sat down on the bench and grinned at me in a way that made me want to shield myself. "I'm Ikkaku, this guy is Yumichika, the short kid is Hitsugaya, and the quiet guy is Byakuya. And Renji's screwing around here somewhere." He pointed at everyone in turn and I nodded. It was strange seeing these guys here and in work clothes.

"I'm Ichigo." I said. "I didn't know you guys worked here."

"Yeah well, we always went to Rangiku's for some food before starting our shift—you know? We just like to hang out beforehand, God only knows where we're going now..."

"Does that girl you were always with work here too?" I asked.

Yumichima nodded, "Rukia, oh yeah! She's at Rengiku's now, they moved all the girls over there... it's a total sausage feast over here... not that I mind..." He sent a knowing glance at Ikkaku and Ikkaku leered back at him. Hitsugaya just rolled his eyes.

"Which one of you is supposed to help me with the training?" I asked. "I was supposed to come in a little early for the training."

"Oh that's Hitsugaya's job, he was the manager but now he's like senior wait staff or something. I don't know- Kisuke changed a couple of things for the reopening." Ikkaku replied.

"Follow me, we'll go back downstairs. The restaurant just opened." Hitsugaya said. He was definitely a no-nonsense kind of guy.

I followed him down the stairs and he didn't even look behind him to see if I was there, instead he started rattling off directions and instructions. I followed him around for a grand total of five minutes and half the time I had to almost run to catch up with him. For such a short, young looking guy—he could move.

"Any questions?" He asked and I could tell that he wasn't actually expecting me to have any questions, he was used to people obeying him like their lives depended on it. But I couldn't let this opportunity pass.

"How old are you?" I asked. He was so short, but he had a job! As my superior no less!

Hitsugaya gave me a look and I held up my hands.

"Forget I asked." I said.

"We'll give you a smaller section today so that you can get a better idea of how the Straylight operates. A senior waiter will pick up the extra tables for today—but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be helping him." Histugaya check his watch, which looked like an expensive Rolex. "You still have some time before your shift starts, I suggest you spend it looking over the menu." He strode over and plucked one off of the maître 'd's table, handing it to me.

With that he rushed off leaving me amongst the chattering patrons and rushing wait staff. Not wanting to be in the way, I snuck upstairs to the cafe, which was closing early today. For the first week, the cafe would be closing at the same time as it used to until Yoruichi could get a dessert/alcoholic drink menu started. They'd decided to make the cafe the bar area starting at 5 pm. But for now there was just Soifon and Red's friend whipping down tables.

Soifon saw me come up and she came over to talk to me. Suddenly, I realized that I'd missed all the girls I had been working with. I had really gotten to like and know them while working at the Starlite Cafe. I was not looking forward to working with all guys. Soifon tucked her cleaning rag into the pocket of her apron and sighed.

"Sucks that they're making you work downstairs now," She said.

"Yeah, my hours are a little later now though so I might be able to go to practice again, you know?" I said, shrugging my shoulder. I said it in a nonchalant manner but really the prospect of being able to practice again made my breath catch in my throat. I'd given up quite a few dreams in order to supplement my family's income.

Soifon was one of the people who knew this because she followed Kadakura High's sports. I'd use to be the star forward of my school's soccer team, the Kadakura Comets until recently. I had quit a little over a month ago to pick up more hours at the cafe. Soifon had also played soccer for the Comets and had continued playing in college. I had been hoping to do something similar—get into college on a soccer scholarship that is cause I sure as hell wasn't getting one for my grades.

"Well, something good did come out of this. You wanna come practice with us tomorrow morning? Some of us girls are having a friendly game. They love it when you come, you know." Soifon gave me one of her rare smiles and I quickly agreed.

Yoroichi popped up behind the bar and lit a cigarette, sucking in deep. I checked my shitty watch and realized that I had two minutes until the start of my shift.

"I'll see you then Soifon, text me the info!" I said as I leapt down the steps two at a time. I hadn't even glanced at the menu but I didn't think it would be that hard to pick up on the food. I tied my black apron on and greeting my first table of customers.

Half an hour later and I had almost had an existential breakdown when I realized that Red was my senior waiter. He grinned at me lasciviously and wagged his tongue at me—his pierced tongue. I scowled at him and set my customer's fancy steak in front of him. I flitted from table to table, desperate to keep myself busy so that Red wouldn't dare bother me.

Suddenly, there was a hand on my elbow, "Can you take that table?" Red asked, pointed to a table slightly out of my area and directly in the middle of his. "My other table is being a pain in my ass." I nodded without out a word and rushed off to take their orders.

It was a table of four girls, one of them with a rack big enough to land her in a porno. All of them giggled as I came closer and whispered excitedly to one another. "Hello, I'm Ichigo and I'll be your waiter tonight. Can I get you guys some drinks?" I asked.

One with pigtails squealed and clapped her hands together. "Wow! At first I was sad that Renji wasn't our server but he was right! You are adorable!"

"Huh?" A sudden feeling of dread washed over me.

Another one reached over and pinched my butt causing me to yelp and jump back. "He says that you've got the biggest crush on him, Ichigo. Is that true?" She asked.

"What the he-!" I was cut off by Red wrapping one long arm around my waist and jerking me towards him. We were lined up perfectly; there wasn't a molecule of air between our bodies.

"That's right Rei, he's head over heels. It's the cutest thing." Red said with a shit-eating grin on his face. I opened my mouth to tell Riku where he could shove his heels when he cut me off again. "Let me guess, four lemon chickens all around?"

The four girls giggled and blushed, nodding. "We're on diets!" They all chimed in saying.

"A damn shame, you're all beautiful to me." He said with a wink, which got them all chattering again like a group of hens. "And you, Strawberry, get that order to the kitchen. I've got women to dazzle." Red dismissed me and pushed me away before I could even protest.

I was halfway to the kitchen when I realized that the feeling of Red's body against mine still lingered on my skin. It would take a hell of a lot of soap and bleach to get that feeling off.

By the time my shift was over and we had closed the restaurant, I was ready to go to bed. I rubbed my face when I remembered the homework I needed to get started on. As I changed in the locker room, I checked my cellphone, responding to both Soifon's and Chad's texts. Soifon told me the time and location of the soccer game tomorrow morning and I adjusted the alarm in my phone so that I'd wake up in time.

As I stepped out the back exit, a voice called out my name.

"Yo, Ichigo! You wanna come with us? We're going out for some drinks." Ikkaku asked from the other side of the alleyway. The others were grouped around texting and riffling through their wallets, counting tip money.

I waved off, "Sorry—not old enough." I said.

"Wait so how old are you?" An incredulous voice asked.

Confused I responded with a surly, "Seventeen."

This caused some catcalling and laughter among the guys. "Oh ho!" Red called. "Jailbait!" I flipped them all the finger and continued on down the alleyway, cutting across the street and through a side road so that I could get away from Red quickly. Behind me their jeering voices faded away and I sighed, my breath pooling around me in cold. My cellphone told me it was nearing midnight and already my nose felt like it was going to fall off my face. I picked up the pace and hunched my shoulders against the cold, hurrying to the warmth of my house.

I woke up the next morning with a groan as my phone alarm went off. I leaned over and grabbed the phone off my night table and struggled to quiet it with my eyes still crusted from sleep. Last night I had changed into my workout clothes before falling asleep so that I wouldn't need as much time to get ready in the morning. Rolling out of bed, I hit the floor with a thud, feeling around for my shin guards. I strapped them on and pulled my socks over them, yanking my pant legs down.

With a grumble I pulled a red hoodie over my head and slung my duffle bag and cleats over my shoulder. On my way out I filled up a water bottle and grabbed a granola bar for a quick breakfast. One short bus ride later and I was standing in front of the soccer fields at our local park. Some of the girls looked up and waved at me, Soifon must have told them I was coming. I stripped my hoodie off and pulled my cleats on, dropping all my stuff near the girl's belongings.

Two hours later, I collapsed on the grass, my shirt a shade darker thanks to sweat. "Damn, I am out of shape." I muttered. Soifon came over and kicked me.

"What have you been doing this past month, eating bonbons?" She said, one eyebrow quirked.

"I went running a few times!" I tried to defend myself. It was tough trying to get runs in before it became dark out and freezing. I looked at my watch, cursing as I realized the time. "Gotta go Soifon! I have to study with a friend!" She waved me off and some of the other girls called out good byes as I ran off.

I didn't stop running until I got to the bus stop and grabbed the bus that arrived half a second later. Within ten minutes I was home. I opened the front door calling out a hello and was greeted by my two younger sisters. They were sitting at the kitchen table with a large stack of pancakes between them.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Karin said, "We were wondering where you were."

"Oh, I was just out playing soccer." I grabbed a chair, plate and a few pancakes. I ate the first two pancakes without any syrup or butter; I was too ravenous to bother with any of that. My sisters just rolled their eyes at me.

"How come you came home so late, Ici?" I was asked.

"Hey, that's right. I never told you guys. Anyway, The Starlite Cafe just merged with The Straylight. The owners decided to merge and then stick with a guy/girl theme. Now I'm working in the Straylight. It's all really just a pain in my ass." I finished, around a mouthful of pancake.

My other sister snorted, "You think everything is a pain in your ass, Ichigo."

"Well, at least the Straylight's closer, right?" Karin chimed in.

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks for the pancakes you guys." I said as I got up to put my plate in the sink. They nodded and went back to chatting about some guy in their class. My sisters are pretty cool even though they're so much younger than me. They've had to grow up fast thanks to my dad's behavior. Sometimes I wished he'd get his shit in gear and care for them—for us—the way he really should. But my mother's death seemed to have broken something in him that can't be fixed.

The rest of us, we moved on. We still think about her but she isn't on our minds every second of the day. She doesn't haunt us like she does him. I sighed, thinking how hurt my mother would be if she could see my father.

I tossed my bag on the floor of my room and went to take a quick shower before I had to start my homework. I was hoping to get most of it done before I went over Otohime's apartment this afternoon. The hot water sluicing over my muscles helped to get rid of the aches all over my body. It couldn't get rid of a deeper ache though—the one that only came when I thought about my mother.

I woke up early Monday morning to get all my things together before I went to school. I had spent the better part of last night trying to convince my coach to let me back on the soccer team. The only reason I finally got on was because there was an open spot since some kid broke his ankle in the last practice. It was a lucky break for me and an unlucky one for him. The coach had been reluctant to take me still since I was a month out of practice. Eventually, we settled on the fact that I could do double running workouts each week to catch up.

Really what that meant was that I'd have just about no free time. I worked four days a week and had practice six days a week. Not to mention going to school and the homework I had to do on top of that. Luckily my sisters had taken over the more domestic parts of my home life so that I was required to do little in terms of that. Most of my paycheck went towards groceries anyway and anything my sisters needed.

My father used to run his own medical clinic but he'd closed it down a few months ago and seldom did anything now but take the occasional house-call. He spent most of his time away from the house doing God knows what. I wasn't sure if we had any money or not—my dad was so seldom home that we might as well have been on our own. He paid the bills and things like that but I had no clue what his bank accounts looked like so I'd picked up that job at The Starlite Café with my sisters' help.

I packed my things for school in my backpack, which was starting to look threadbare. It had seen better days but I didn't have the money or time to replace it. In my duffle bag I put my workout clothes, cleats, socks, and a water bottle. I slung it over my shoulder and picked up my soccer ball in the other hand. My cellphone was shoved unceremoniously in my pant's pocket.

When I got downstairs my sisters were waiting to walk to school with me. Karin gave me a muffin and a juice box—they'll both make great mothers some day if the way they care for me is any indication. Both of them went to the middle school that was next to Kadakura High. Their school started half an hour after mine but they liked to get there early and talk to their friends.

We walked to school together and the fall breeze cut right through my sweatshirt. It was a cold day for October. My sisters were already wearing their winter jackets over their uniforms. I couldn't blame them—they also had to wear skirts. At least I got pants.

Chad caught up with us a block later and he fell in step next to my younger sister, dwarfing her. I talked to him about his weekend and told him how I was back on the soccer team. Chad was happy for me. He was the star quarterback on our football team. I waved to a few other people on our walk.

I was pretty content and happy. I wasn't thinking about Red or The Straylight. I was looking forward to seeing my teammates again and getting back on the field. I didn't realize how much I was going to dread working my next shift. And dread it I did. How could one guy mess with me so much?

My shift started out normally enough; I showed up freshly showered and changed into my work clothes. I was a few minutes early and therefore went upstairs to chat with Yoroichi briefly before working my tables. Hitsugaya saw me and told me that he'd be giving me the normal amount of tables and that between me and Red we should be able to wait on an area usually reserved for larger parties. I hated when large groups of people came in—especially teenagers—because than I had to deal with bill splitting. No one ever seemed to ask for individual bills before I rung up the entire table as one group.

I hid my discontent though, hoping that in a restaurant like this one, where it was slightly more expensive, that the larger parties would be made up of mostly families and adults. Quickly Hitsugaya briefed me on the soup specials and a small description to give about each if I was asked. I was also reminded to card if anyone ordered an alcoholic drink. Apparently they'd been getting a lot of fakes up at the bar. I nodded showing I understood and then donned my black apron that I kept my notebook and pen in.

Hitsugaya lead the first group of patrons to a table in the middle of my area and after a minute I went over and asked if they'd like any drinks. It was a table of two elderly couples who looked like they were easily in their seventies. The two ladies asked for unsweetened iced teas and one of the men asked for an imported German beer. I told them I'd be back and went to the kitchen to get their drinks.

On my way back I almost ran into Red who had the most alarming habit of jumping out from behind things. "I noticed that you didn't ask for ID when the man ordered a beer." He said, taunting me.

I snorted at him. "Might as well have asked him for his senior citizen AARP card while I was at it." I pushed past him and into the kitchen to retrieve the drinks. He didn't follow me but I should have known that he wouldn't leave me be that easily.

As I came back into the seating area, Red cornered me and put one hand over my head, leaning against the wall. Using his freakishly tall height to intimidate me, Red leaned in a whispered, "Hm, breaking the rules on our second day on the job. I must admit I'm impressed Strawberry."

I glared at him, annoyed that he was keeping me from my job and that he'd gone back to calling me that ridiculous pet name. "It's Ichigo." I ground out between clenched teeth. With that I pushed past the arm that was trapping me so quickly that it caught Red off guard.

He let me go but probably only to attend the two groups that had been seated in his section. By the time I got back with the drinks, the elderly couples were ready to order and so I sent their order into the kitchen. My next table were some neighbors of mine whom I had known since I was little. They had a daughter that like to play with my sisters sometimes even though she was two years younger. All three of them liked to go to the local pool on hot summer days.

I spent most of my shift on automatic with a few interruptions from the Obnoxious one. Any time there was a break he liked to corner me and ask me outlandish questions about myself or make sexual innuendos.

"Is that a pen in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

"Ok, Kill, Fuck, Marry; Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, or Queen Elizabeth?"

"Hey Strawberry, you want some cream with that?"

"If you were a male stripper would you be a Sexy Policeman or a Naughty Cowboy?"

"You ever think about wearing a maid's outfit?"

And then there was the question that threw me off so much I actually almost choked on the water I was drinking when he asked it.

"Favorite sex position?"

"W-w-what the fuck?!" I sputtered out.

That elicited a quirked eyebrow and a wicked grin that spread slowly across his face. He looked at my burning red face and whistled before laughing low in his throat. "Well, I'll be damned. You're a virgin."

"Leave me alone!" I gritted out before storming past him. He didn't talk to me for the rest of my shift but I could feel his eyes staring at my back. It made me want to squirm and turn around and give him the finger. I felt like an animal at the zoo—people were staring at me like I was some exotic rarity.

By the time my shift had ended, my anger had faded to tiredness thanks to the long day I'd had. I rubbed my eyes to try and keep the blurriness out of them as I attempted to unbutton my shirt. My hands were clumsy and just wouldn't obey my brain at all.

"Having trouble, Strawberry?" A sing-song voice asked me.

"Not at all." I grumbled out. Something about Red just reduced me to incoherent grunts and grumblings. "Shit." I cursed under my breath as I fumbled with the button again.

Suddenly, my hands were being knocked away and someone else was expertly working the buttons that had defeated me. Swiftly, Red unbuttoned my shirt and backed away before I could scream sexual harassment lawsuits at him.

"Uh, thanks." I said, kind of surprised that he hadn't taken advantage of the situation and attempted to molest me.

He just chuckled and left me alone to my own devices, leaving me alone in the locker room. After that I changed quickly. How could I not? My skin felt like it was on fire where he had touched me. I walked home slowly that night in the cold, watching my breath puff up around my face as I wondered what was up with Red.

I guess I'd just never get him.

To Be Continued

Author's Note – This has been a long time in writing. There were times when I just completely dropped it and it took me months to return. I'm happy with the way this turned out though. Bleach is a pretty new fandom for me and Ichigo is certainly a different character than I'm used to writing. I didn't get very far into watching Bleach but I really loved Ichigo's personality and his interactions with Renji. Please let me know what you think and hopefully the second part will come soon!


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